It has been suggested as early as 1893 in German Pat. No. 75,773 to provide a sail on a bicycle. A rig is provided that allows the sail to be attached in front of the rider, spinnaker-fashion, to catch a following wind and propel the bicycle. Such arrangments, as described in relatively recent U.S. Pat. No. 3,836,176 therefore allow the bicycle to run only, that is to move before the wind. It is impossible to reach, that is sail with the wind abeam, at all in such arrangements and beating, that is changing tack, is impossible.
Another solution using a sort of sloop rig is proposed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,986,722. This arrangement puts the center of effort above the head of the rider of the bicycle, and requires the rider to hold onto the boom in order to control the sail. Sailing with such an arrangement requires that the rider, while holding the boom with one hand and the handlebars with another, heel the entire vehicle into the wind to compensate for the high center of effort. Any change in wind requires split-second reactions that are probably only learned after quite a few knockdowns, which could have serious consequences to a bicycle and rider moving at a good rate on a hard surface. Theoretically such an arrangement could move with the wind abeam, or even against the wind.
A more stable sail-propelled wheel vehicle is proposed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,572,740. This arrangement uses a standard sloop rig and is basically just an iceboat with wheels. The rider sits directly below the sail to get the center of mass of the vehicle as low as possible. Thus this arrangement cures many of the defects of the arrangement discussed immediately above, but is not adaptable to a two-wheeled bicycle at all.